4 Ways Personal Development Boosts Leadership Skills
It is exciting to lead people and it is a critical role. According to experts, leaders can have a direct impact on their team’s happiness and self-esteem. That said, in today’s new reality, with fewer resources and a hybrid workforce, being in charge of a team presents unexpected and complex challenges that can leave even seasoned managers at a loss. The solution? Focused personal development training or coaching gives leaders the effective tools they need to navigate these challenging times.
Personal development assists leaders and managers in critical ways. Here are 4 key reasons to take advantage of the “back-to-school” season and prioritize personal development to boost your leadership skills.
1. Identify and leverage your strengths and manage your weaknesses
Personal development often incorporates assessments that allow managers to discover strengths and opportunities for development. It also teaches how to strengthen both. This assessment is an important first step toward more effective leadership. Self-awareness is one of the top key competencies for leaders, and I always say that an assessment is like a mirror. Even if you know yourself well and/or if you have used them before, it’s always good to take stock again from time to time…and who knows, you may have blind spots!
You can choose any of these tools: a potential assessment, a psychometric questionnaire, a personality test, a 360° feedback process or a survey sent to your team. Pursuing personal development that includes identifying strengths to leverage, weaknesses to work on, and then after that targeting course corrections where needed, will give leaders huge opportunities to be more effective, retain employees longer, and meet or exceed goals.
2. Set goals and share with your team
Another important way personal development through training or coaching assists leaders is by identifying and breaking a large goal into smaller, achievable steps. This is useful not only in preparing your action plan. It also helps you make sure that your development is on your radar and remains a priority.
Communicating your plan with your team is also very impactful. It allows you to demonstrate authenticity and even your vulnerability. It also shows that you “walk the talk” when you say development is something you believe in and take seriously. This can inspire employees who would also benefit from personal development to take action as well. It helps boost team morale and improves employee retention.
3. Stay up-to-date
We’ve probably all experienced sometimes being a little behind the times professionally. The best practices of yesterday may not all apply today. With the fast-paced back-to-back changes in today’s world, it’s necessary and inspiring to look for new ideas. The latest, science-based trends, advice and recommendations on how to adjust and adapt your approach will help you to be as successful as possible.
4. Discuss and share ideas with others
Another way that personal development training assists management is through focused discussions. These conversations involve a trainer and other participants from or outside your organization. A training session gives you an opportunity to press pause on your go, go, go mode to step back and have value-added conversations with others; checking in on what others are experiencing and what solutions they’re proposing. Learning from others and sometimes just validating that you are not alone, or that you are on track, are great ways to re-energize. They help you feel even more prepared to be the best leader you can!
Are you ready to prioritize your personal development?
If you’re feeling that fall, back-to-school vibe and you’re ready to jump into personal development, stay tuned! The KCC team has a big announcement about our new Express Online Training Sessions which will launch in a few weeks. If you prefer a one-on-one approach, our certified coaches would be more than happy to set up a free exploration call with you.
Also, here’s a great test that will help you target leadership growth based on your leadership style: Work Personality Index (WPI) – Leadership Report.
This test takes about 20 minutes and identifies your leadership strengths. It helps you discover unleveraged potential and opportunities for growth. The step-by-step results show leaders exactly what to do—and stop doing—to unleash their team’s potential and maximize personal effectiveness.
Ingrid Kelada
Owner of KCC Positive Business Psychology & Happiness Expert
